Process of producing ammonia.



SAMUEL PEAGOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO E. I. DU PONT DENEIYIOURS POVJDER COMPANY, A CORPQBATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING AMMONIA.

No Drawing.

ing Ammonia; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will en able othersskilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the production of ammonia gas NH from, anitrid having the formula AI C N and has for its ob-' 'ject to provide aprocess which will be simple and efficient for this purpose. To theseends the invention consists in the novel steps constituting my processwhich will be more fully disclosed hereinafter and particularly pointedout in the claims.

In carrying out my process I take a mixture of. said nitrid AI C Npreferably in a state of fine division, and water, and subject it to theaction of steam at about five atmospheres pressure in an autoclave orclosed vessel, when the ammonia is given off in accordance with thefollowing equations The pressure should be maintained at sub--stantially five atmospheres,- and for the reason that an emulsion ofsaid nitrid in water heated above 100 C. forms melamin, H 'QNsubstantially in accordance with the following equation under suchpressures, the volatile comcannqtescape and are ultimately deySpecification of Letters iatent.

Application filed. September 23, 1911. Serial No. 650,974.

If, however, the digestion with wathe boiling points of thesolutionsmama July 2 1912.

; composed in substantial accordance with These two reactions goontgether and if considered as a single reaction, they may be consolidatedand stated as'follows:-

which is the equation above.

In other words, all of the fixed nitrogen in the said nitrid reaches asan-end point the form of NH which is the object of my 4 process. in thepresence of steam, the gases are'condensed to form a weak solution ofaqua.- ammonia. If salts of ammonia are desired,

The ammonia being disengaged.

the solution of aqua-ammonia thus obtained may be suitably treated with;acids and the salts separated out as usual, or if a more concentratedaqua ammonia or ammonium hydrate is desired, the ammonia. may beseparated out from thesolution by any well known and approved process.nitrid, Al C N employed in the'above process may be obtained by suitablyheating in a furnace a mixture of alumina and carbon in the presence ofnitrogen, when the required nitrid is formed in accordanceWith thefollowing equation A1 O +6C+3N :Al C N +3OO all as is disclosed in mycopending application SerialNo. 650,973 filed September 23, 1911, andentitled: Process of producing compounds of aluminum, carbon, andnitrogen. In this process I take 102 parts by .weight of finely dividedalumina to 7 Q'p art-s by weight of finely divided carbon, thoroughlymix the same and subject them in an atmosphere of nitrogen in a closedfurnace, to a temperature sufficient to bring about the reaction. Anexcess of carbon of from 20.to 30 percent. above these properties isalso sometimes used. The actual temperature employed will vary with thetotal pressure maintained in the furnace, and also The. said I with the,'partial pressure of the carbon monoxid CO given ofi by the reaction.In

my process above, -I may use a temperature of about 1600- C. or less, atotal pressure as low as 500 m.m. and a partial pressure ofs'ayl00 or150 m.m.,but the product can also be produced with higher total. presing application #650,972015 even datehere:

with. I

It is evident that those skilled in the art may vary the details of myprocess Wit-h-- out departing from. the spirit thereof, and theretci'eldo not Wish t0 be limited to the above disclosure except as may berequired by the claims."

What I claim is 1. The process of producing ammonia, which consists insubjecting the nitrid enses I Al c N to the action of steam. at apressure the action of steam at substantially five ntniospherespressure, substantially as de scribed. p

In' testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence oftwo'witnesses.

SAMUEL PEAGOt-Kh Witnesses:

T. A. VVITHERSPO N, GEO. B. Iwrs.

